ABOARD THE PAPAL PLANE (AP) 鈥� is competing for attention with another VIP in Madrid this weekend, and the pontiff declared his preference in Spain’s biggest soccer rivalry.
Puerto Rican sensation is performing two shows of his 10-concert Spanish tour in the capital.
Speaking to reporters aboard the papal plane before on Saturday morning, Leo acknowledged the appeal of Bad Bunny when he referred to anecdotal reports of a newfound spiritual awakening, especially among young people in Spain.
The American pope said he understood that young adults are sensing a lack of meaning in their lives and mused that his visit might help 鈥渁waken鈥� something in them.
鈥淚f they are confronted with the question 鈥楧o you want to go see Bad Bunny or do you want to go to see the pope?鈥� I think many will see Bad Bunny,鈥� Leo said. 鈥淏ut I think there will also be a few here to see the pope. And that says something, you know.鈥�
Leo is opening on Saturday. After Madrid, the trip will also take him to Barcelona and . He鈥檚 hoping to bring a message of unity in a country polarized with political and .
Leo was also asked about news that plans are moving ahead for his beloved Chicago Bears to move to Hammond, Indiana. The board of the team voted this week to move forward with a stadium development project in Hammond.
Asked if he had any words of consolation for Illinois, the Chicago-born pope quipped: 鈥淭hat鈥檚 out of my pay (scale).鈥�
In other sporting comments, Leo confirmed that he would root for the United States in the upcoming World Cup, and showed his true team colors when asked about whether supports or the : 鈥淭hat鈥檚 easy,鈥� he said. 鈥淭he pope is for all teams, but Prevost is Real Madrid,鈥� he said, referring to his birth name.
Pope recalls his father’s service on D-Day anniversary
Leo fielded a host of questions as he greeted journalists traveling with him. He spoke about Ukraine and Lebanon and his recent proclamation that the Catholic Church鈥檚 鈥渏ust war鈥� doctrine 鈥� which establishes the criteria when war can be morally justified 鈥� was 鈥渙utdated.鈥�
With Saturday marking the 82nd anniversary of the D-Day landings on June 6, 1944, Leo also told a French journalist that he would like one day to visit Normandy, France, as pope.
鈥淢y father was there,鈥� he said.
It was a reference to Leo鈥檚 father, Louis Prevost, who served in the U.S. Navy during World War II and participated in the D-Day landings at Normandy as part of Operation Overlord, according to the Pentagon.
Prevost also commanded an infantry landing craft, and after 15 months overseas, attained the rank of lieutenant junior grade, according to a note on the Pentagon website published soon after Leo鈥檚 election.
After the war, Prevost became a teacher and school principal in Chicago, got married and he and his wife, Mildred, had three boys. The future pope, Robert Prevost, was the youngest, born on Sept. 14, 1955.
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